The ages of 10 of the 12 individuals charged range from 26 to 52 years old. Bond was set ranging from $11,000 to $95,000. Two of those charged, Tommy Presten Akins and Danny Mack Akins, Jr. (not pictured), have not been taken into custody and are still wanted by authorities.
The Buncombe County North Carolina Sheriff’s Office has charged 12 people in a cell site transmission line copper theft ring after a lengthy investigation, authorities said on March 30. The damage was estimated to be worth $331,000.
Buncombe County detectives as well as the McDowell County and Mitchell County Sheriff’s offices worked for weeks to investigate and arrest the suspects, a press release said.
Two of those charged — Tommy Presten Akins and Danny Mack Akins, Jr., both of Candler (not pictured above) have not yet been taken into custody and are still wanted by authorities.
The 12 charged individuals, 11 from Candler and one from Weaverville, were stealing the copper lines in the county and selling it to scrap yards across Western North Carolina (WNC).
After developing leads, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office executed six search warrants on scrap yards in the WNC area — as well as on homes, vehicles and cell phones.
From those leads and findings, a total of 169 criminal charges had been filed as of March 30 in relation to the thefts.
In one instance, arrest warrants describe three suspects working together to “steal over 900 feet of copper wiring, valued at over $5,000, belonging to AT&T.”
The following individuals have been charged by the Sheriff’s Office in connection with the copper thefts. Bond ranged from $11,000 to $95,000.
Nathaniel Bruce Scott Styles of Candler is charged with:
– 8 counts of Felony Larceny
– 9 counts of Felony Conspiracy
– 11 counts of Injury to Utility Wires
– 9 counts of Injury to Property while Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 1 count of Possession of Methamphetamine
Amanda Diane Bailey of Candler is charged with:
– 5 counts of Felony Conspiracy
– 3 counts of Injury to Utility Wire
– 2 counts of Injury to Property While Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 1 count of Felony Larceny
– 1 count of Aiding and Abetting Felony Larceny
– 1 count of Possession of Methamphetamine
Samuel Nathan Mortier of Candler is charged with:
– 1 count of Felony Larceny
– 7 counts of Felony Conspiracy,
– 4 counts of Felony Injury to Property while Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 4 counts of Felony Injury to Utility Wire
– 1 count of Felony Obtaining Property by False Pretense
Michael Joel Ingle of Candler is charged with:
– 10 counts of Felony Conspiracy
– 7 counts of Felony Injury to Property while Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 6 counts of Felony Injury to Utility Wire
– 1 count of Felony Obtaining Property by False Pretense
Carahlynn Jordon Thomas of Weaverville is charged with:
– Obtaining Property by False Pretense
– Felony Conspiracy to Obtain Property by False Pretenses
Kendra Mae Akins of Candler is charged with:
– 3 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses
Brandon Wayne Wilson of Candler is charged with:
– 6 counts of Felony conspiracy
– 4 counts of Injury to Property While Obtaining Nonferrous Metal.
– 3 counts of Injury to Utility Wire
– 1 count of Felony larceny
Bryan Douglas McAninch of Candler is charged with:
– Felony possession of stolen goods
– Obtaining Property by False Pretenses
– Misdemeanor possession of stolen goods
Edward Lemuel Hoglen of Candler is charged with:
– 2 counts of Felony Larceny
– 3 counts of Felony conspiracy
– 2 counts of Injury to Property While Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 2 counts of Injury to Utility Wire
Thomas Edward Pitts of Candler is charged with:
– 1 count of Felony Possession of Stolen Property
– 1 count of Felony Larceny
– 3 counts of Felony Conspiracy
– 1 count of Injury to Property while Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 1 count of Injury to Utility Wires
Tommy Presten Akins of Candler is charged with:
– Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle
– 6 counts of Felony Conspiracy
– 3 counts of Felony Larceny
– 2 counts of Injury to Property While Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 5 counts of Injury to Utility Wire
Danny Mack Akins Jr. of Candler is charged with:
– 9 counts of Felony Conspiracy
– 4 counts of Felony Larceny
– 3 counts of Injury to Property While Obtaining Nonferrous Metal
– 6 counts of Injury to Utility Wire
Mack faces additional charges not related to the copper wire theft that include felony flee to elude, driving while license revoked, and careless and reckless driving.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Akins or Akins, Jr. is asked to contact the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office at 828.250.6670.
“Thank you to our Property Crimes Detectives and supervisors for leading this detailed criminal investigation,” said Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller.
